About the Ministry
In 2021 Alaa began a project to reach Syrian and Kurdish families in Beirut by providing schooling for their children. He focused on families displaced by conflict and violence. He created a school for children, who would have no education, to minister to families. With his team, Alaa was able to develop a safe setting for women to learn new skills and also to hear about the Bible. As children and women found care in the family center, fathers joined in too, and whole families found hope. Connections led to trust, which led to sharing the gospel and creating a fellowship.
Now, Alaa has taken the model God used so powerfully in Lebanon to duplicate the effort in a near nation. Once again, long-lasting conflict has led to deep needs in individual lives, families, and communities. By creating a new center where children are able to learn and women receive opportunities to build their skills, Alaa is working to build an environment where the hope of the gospel will be planted. Already, a small fellowship has begun where people are yet unreached by the Good News.
Alaa sees opportunities to help free people held captive by sin, like he once was. He says, “I’m not gifted maybe, but God uses me.” Now Alaa is duplicating the family center in a new work in other parts of the Middle East to reach the unreached. He rejoices in partnership with Live Global and says, “For me it’s a miracle!”
Meet the Leader: Alaa
Alaa is from a village where there is no gospel work. In his life there, Alaa met a powerful attorney. He wanted to be strong and powerful too, so he began to study law. Because of this, extremists arrested him and put in prison. While incarcerated, the facility was bombed and Alaa experienced great trauma. His captors insisted that he sign an agreement to stop studying law, since it went against the Majority religion law. After being tortured, Alaa agreed to sign and was released. His family sent him to a nearby nation where he would be safe.
In his place of refuge, Alaa was visited by Jehovah’s Witnesses. He felt angry towards them, but listened to be respectful. For the first time, he heard about a book called “the Bible” and the man “Jesus.” Before, he only knew Isa was a prophet, but he began to know more. After this, Alaa’s cousin introduced him to a man who was kind and shared about Jesus from the Quran.
What was true? He decided to ask God to show him and guide him to what’s true. Alaa had a dream of a road between two crowds of people; he was being chased. On the road before him, a cross arose and Jesus was on it. As he ran, he cried out to Isa, “Help me!” He ran to Jesus, and Jesus wrapped his arms around him. Some of the people in the crowd began shouting, “Hallelujah!”
Alaa didn’t know what it meant; he hadn’t heard the word before. He decided that this Jesus on the cross is the truth, and he so became a follower of Jesus. His family rejected him because of this decision, and they attacked him. Alaa ended up living on the street. He knows God protected him in those days and finally guided him to a friend who invited him to the Desert Training Center in 2017 where he was trained for ministry.
In 2025 God answered Alaa’s prayers for a partner to share life and ministry. “Together we want to continue to share God’s love and kindness through our life example. May many people understand the Gospel and find Him.”